The Ones We Protect
by Here Kitty Kitty Kitty
Summary: Exeme job had been easy as a Celestrian, until now. Sentinels of the Starry Skies. RATED T FOR TEARZA'S MOUTH IN LATER CHAPTERS.
1. The Fall

Dun-dun-duhhhhh! 'Those who we protect' re-launched! Okay, okay so it's pretty much the same just a different main character. So people don't confused, not that I expect you to, it's pronounced EX-EH-MAY. Also in the looks department, I described her face and hair in the story, and those of you who have played the game _know_ what the usual female Celestrian outfit looks like, but a few changes: I _**HATE**_ yellow, so the undershirt is a dark purple. The usual weapon she has at the beginning is not some flimsy copper sword, hers looks like the one on the cover that one is holding, only the handle is a wrought iron color, and the blade is almost black. Lastly, the usual choker the girls wear has a small black bell, special reason? Maybe, maybe not. Thank you for reading this long author's note and I hope you enjoy the story better!

"The Fall"

_"Hello? Is there anybody there?_

_If you're there, say something. Show yourself."_

_Thus do the voices of the mortals plead, ever hopeful for proof of our existence._

_For how long now have we watched over their realm…?_

_For how long have we Celestrians existed? _

It was a sunny, peaceful day in Angel Falls. Above the town were the Celestrians Aquila, and his student Lavin. Aquila turned to her, "You have come far, Exeme."

Exeme had black, spiral curled hair that was in a high ponytail and hit at her shoulders, with a few stray curls framing her face. She also had bright purple eyes rimmed with thick lashes and slate gray eyeshadow. Her lipstick a pale rose. He continued, "I must confess to having had my doubts when you became Guardian of the village in my stead. But its inhabitants' continued peace and safety in proof of your devotion." Exeme listened on, "When Apus Major bade me, 'Aquila, take Lavin as your apprentice', I never imagined I would see you bloom so. You are worthy of your title indeed, Exeme, Guardian of Angel Falls."

"Thank you teacher." Exeme said.

Aquila nodded but noticed something, "Hm!"

Across on the path a young girl and her grandfather were walking. The grandfather, "Don't ever get old, my dear Erinn. You don't ever want to get old."

The girl turned, "It's only a little bit farther grandpa. I'm sure you'll make it."

Monsters jumped out of the bushes and hid from the two mortals behind a rock. Aquila turned to his apprentice, "These wicked creatures must not be allowed to ambush innocent members of your flock, Exeme. Come, Guardian of Angel Falls, it is time to fulfil our duty as Celestrians!"

"Yes teacher." Aquila opened his wings and flew towards the creatures, with Exeme behind him. Exeme drew her sword and her and her teacher defeated them. Exeme watched as the two whom they saved pass by.

The girl exclaimed excitedly, "See, grandpa! There's Angel Falls up ahead!"

The old man looked towards the village, "Aah… I honestly believed I'd never set my tired old eyes on the place again. But here we are at last. Home."

The girl put her hands on her hips, "Oh, don't be so melodramatic, grandpa! The village Guardian will have been watching over us all the way. Nothing bad could ever have happened to us." She put her hands together and bowed her head, "Benevolent Exeme, thank you for protecting us on our journey."

Exeme watched as a glow formed around the girl, then watched the glow crystallize and landed in Exeme's hands. Aquila said, "Behold Exeme. Benevolessence. The crystallization of the mortals' gratitude towards we who watch over them. As Celestrians, our cardinal duty is the offering up of this sacred substance unto mighty Yggdrasil, the Great World Tree."

She was mesmerized by the glow, "I see."

"Come, Exeme. Let us return to the Observatory, that you may make your offering." The crystal disappeared as her and her teacher flew towards their home in the sky. They entered through the opening in the floor. Aquila turned to Exeme, "Go check in with Apus Major first. He is in the Great Hall as always. I have other matters to attend to. You must excuse me." with that he left.

"Starlight be with you!" the older Celestrian said as her wounds healed. Frankly speaking, most of the other Celestrians were older than her, "The night sky watches over us all. Be healed, that you may do your Celestrian duty!" she always thought that man was overly excited about everything. She turned and took the first stairs to the landing, than a second pair of stairs to the Great Hall.

On her way to Apus Major she ran into another Celestrian, "That is a crystal of benevolence that you carry, is it not? …It is beautiful. Truly beautiful… Would you perhaps allow me to have it as a gift?"

"I am sorry, but I cannot." She told him.

"Hm. Understandable, I suppose." He looked sad, but she knew it was probably a test to see if she had really grown much.

As she was walking she noticed the doors to the library. She knew her teacher must be there. She wanted to ask him something. She walked through and there he was talking with a female Celestrian at a table. As she was about to ascend the stairs the female began talking, "I was surprised to hear of Exeme's promotion. I did not expect you to permit it so soon."

"You assume too much, Columba. I also believe it is too soon for her to take on a Guardianship. It was Apus Major's decision." Aquila said. Exeme listened on.

"Indeed? How amusing! I might have known."

"It is no laughing matter. Exeme is but a fledgling. What if something were to happen in the Protectorate? Do you forget the tragedy of Corvus so soon?"

"Hmph. No, of course not, but…we have been forbidden to talk of that matter here in the Observatory, have we not?"

"…" He turned around to leave only to see Exeme there, "Exeme! H-How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." She whispered. She walked quickly out of the room. _I__guess__now__is__a__good__time__to__talk__to__Apus__Major._ She thought.

She walked up to him. He greeted her with what she thought was a smile, you can't tell with his mustache, "Welcome back, Exeme. I trust your absence has not been so lengthy that you forget your old master, Apus Major!"

"Of course not." She said trying to bury the words her new teacher said.

"My congratulations on successfully completing your first task as Guardian, Exeme. You performed your duties well thus far, albeit under Aquila's watchful gaze. But the time has come for you to spread your own wings. What say you? Are you ready to undertake your duties alone?"

Lavin thought about everything her teacher had said. _I'm__not__weak.__I__can__do__this!_ She thought. She looked at her former master, "Yes Apus Major. I am ready to accept them alone."

"Ho ho ho! I see you are a confident apprentice, Exeme. Very good. The young have confidence where the old have experience. And so we come to the next of your duties."

"To offer up the benevolessence to Yggdrasil." She said.

"She will soon bear fruit at last. Go now, and do as I have instructed."

"Yes sir." And with that she went on her way.

When she reached the spiral staircase that would lead her to the top, she was stopped by a guard, "Apus Major has sent you to offer benevolessencee unto mighty Yggdrasil?" She nodded, "Then you may pass." He moved out of her way. Upon ascending the stairs, she saw the archways that led to the roots of Yggdrasil. She climbed up the last staircase and saw in front of her the Great World Tree. She offered up the benevolessence and saw the tree glow brightly.

She heard footsteps on the stairs behind her, "Behold, Exeme… is Yggdrasil, unto whom we offer the benevolessence we gather, not truly beautiful?"

"It is." she said.

She turned and watched as he walked to a few steps behind her then turned back, "Gathering and offering up benevolessence is the most sacred duty with which we Guardians are charged." She turned to him again, "I trust you will perform you duties well, Exeme, Guardian of Angel Falls." She started to walk away, "I have been thinking Exeme, Guardian of Angel Falls… To address you as 'Guardian of Angel Falls' is both convoluted and inconvenient. You will henceforth allow me to use this form of address only when formality dictates, I take it?"

She considered telling him no, but decided against it, "Yes teacher."

"Good. It is well that you succumb to my recommendation so readily, my pupil. As you are aware, the law forbids a Celestrian to oppose a superior. Now, go to Apus Major and tell him of the successful completion of your task." She nodded and started to descend the many stairs.

She made her way through the door of the Great Hall to see Apus Major. He greeted her, "Well done, Exeme. And how did mighty Yggdrasil appear to you?"

"She was really glowing." She told him.

"She was fiercely aglow? Ho ho ho. It seems the time may soon be upon us. As I am sure you are aware, it is we Celestrians' duty to tend mighty Yggdrasil until such time as She bears fruit. It is to this end that Guardians watch over mortalkind and gather benevolessence. And now, Exeme, Guardian of Angel Falls, I believe you know what you must do next. You are to return to the Protectorate and continue to gather benevolessence. …This time without Aquila to accompany you."

She saluted, "Yes sir!"

"Make ready, and then speak with the female Celestrian who stands guard over the great portal on the floor below. May all the bodies of the heavens watch over you, Exeme, Guardian of Angel Falls." She nodded and made her way to the floor below.

She walked over to the Celestrian, "Ah, Exeme. You wish to descend to the Protectorate, I take it?"

"Yes I do."

"So Exeme, the time has finally come for you to descend to the Protectorate alone. Good luck, Guardian Exeme. May the assistance you bestow upon the mortals of Angel Falls give rise to galaxies of benevolessence!"

And with that Exeme descended to Angel Falls. Where she stopped two boys were talking, "It really is weird…"

"What's weird? You mean that name thingy on the Guardian statue, Ivor?"

"Of course I mean that name thingy, Hugo, you dolt! I'm sure it said 'Aqui-' something before. But now it's 'Exeme'…"

"Really? Well it's said 'Exeme' for as long as I can remember."

Ivor was getting frustrated "And how long is that, exactly? Do you remember reading it before?"

Hugo thought for a moment, "Er… I… That's funny… I, I can't say that I do."

"You see! Everyone around here's weird. It's only just changed and everyone thinks it's been like that forever."

"Ah-ha! It must be the work of the village Guardian, then!"

Ivor shook his head, "Don't be such a wally! There's no such thing as Guardians. They're just made-up rubbish. It's only Erinn who believes in all that nonsense. She's such a dumb, er…brunette." Exeme walked away from their…discussion.

"And I guess you're the dumb blonde." She said, glad that they couldn't hear her. She began flying around the village. She stopped in front of a dog. She put her hand on it and it barked, then walked to a patch of flowers and began to whine. She shifted the flowers slightly and found a ring, "Good boy." She told the dog as it ran in a circle.

She kept flying but stopped by the church to see who was there. An old woman was sitting down, "Please, Guardian Exeme. Help to reunite my husband's ring and I!"

"Is this the ring?" she said aloud to herself. She slipped the ring into the old lady's coat pocket.

"Hm? That's funny. My coat suddenly feels a wee bit heavier." She put her hand in her pocket, "Lord Almighty! It's, it's my Bruce's ring! Well I just don't understand it. I searched high and low for this old thing before, and I couldn't find it anywhere." She looked around, "It must be Lavin's doing. Aren't we lucky to have a Guardian who watches over us so well? Thank you! Thank you, Exeme!" a crystal of benevolessence was placed in Exeme's hands. She went and had collected another crystal from the farmer.

When she came outside it was dark out. She looked around and saw her teacher. She flew over to him, "Hello teacher Aquila."

"You are taking your new role very seriously, I am glad to see, Exeme." He noticed the weird look in her eye, "What is it? You feel your old master does not trust you to work alone?"

_"I__**know**__you__don't__trust__me!"_ she thought to herself.

He turned away from her, "It is my duty now to patrol the entire Protectorate. Though you guard it well, I must sometimes revisit my old territory."

_"Oh,__now__you're__sentimental."_ She thought.

"And as I am here, Exeme… There is one last lesson I must teach you."

"_And__here__it__comes._"

"AS Guardians we are to watch over the mortal flock, but this means more than merely watching over the living."

"You mean helping those who have died but not moved on?" she questioned.

"Yes. You hear it, too, do you not? The voice of a wandering soul in the village in need of your assistance…"

She saw what he was talking about. She flew over to the soul. He didn't notice her at first, "Hmph! Wot's wrong wiv people 'round 'ere nowadays?"

_"Fantastic.__Thanks__teacher."_ She thought sarcastically.

The man turned around, "Eh? Oh, someone who's prepared to gimme the time o' day at last! Listen 'ere. Can you tell me 'ow come everyone's ignorin' me?" he looked her, "…'Ang on a minute… W-Wot's wiv that get-up, eh? Y-You ain't a… Oh, my days, you are! Yer a Celestrian, ain'tcha?"

"I guess I am."

"So I've… I'm already… I've breaved me last, is it? Go on, you can tell me. I can take it! That's wot's 'appened, innit?"

She nodded, "Yes, I'm sorry, but yes."

"Cheers for bein' straight wiv me, Miss, er…Celestrian."

"Exeme."

"Right. So basically, I've kicked the bucket, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's a good fing you told. When I thought everyone was just ignorin' me I was about ready to do meself in anyway."

"Uh huh." She muttered.

"But now I know wot's wot, I can just get on wiv it and… Well, you know. Rest in peace an' all that." He disappeared and a crystal of benevolessence appeared in his place. She picked it up.

Aquila flew over to her, "You have done well, Exeme." she turned to face him, "Thanks to your intervention, a mortal soul has made its peace, and is now at rest. The benevolessence of a departed soul shines more brilliantly than any. You will be returning to the Observatory with it post haste, no doubt?"

"I guess I will." She said.

"Then I shall bid you farewell for now. I have much to do here in the Protector-Hm?" She looked in the direction he looked. A gold, glowing, train was flying through the sky, "The Starflight Express… Indeed, it has been unusually active of late…" he turned to her, "I have changed my mind. I shall accompany you to the Observatory after all, Exeme." They both took off. When they reached the Observatory Aquila turned to her, "I have important matters to discuss with Apus Major. Please, excuse me." he turned and left.

"Always with the leaving." She whispered. She turned to go to offer her benevolessence. As she made her way up the stairs, she noticed all the Celestrians gathered. When she got to the foot of Yggdrasil, Apus Major and Aquila were there. Aquila greeted her, "Well met, Exeme! Truly, you have chosen a fortuitous moment to join us."

"Really?" She asked him.

"Behold Yggdrasil. She is ready to burst into bloom with all the benevolessence we have offered unto Her."

"Wow!" She exclaimed as the tree twinkled.

She heard Apus Major, "Ho ho ho! Yes, She is but a hair's breadth now from bearing fruit. 'Fyggbloom hails the opening of the Heavenly Gates, and sets the Celestrians on the path to salvation… …And lo, it shall be in the celestrial carriage that we, the chosen custodians, journey unto the Realm of the Almighty.'"

"It is time, Exeme. Offer the benevolessence you have gathered unto mighty Yggdrasil. Do so, and She will surely bear fruit as long last."

"Okay." She told him. She walked up to the tree and offered up the benevolessence. She watched it float up.

"Behold the fyggs bloom." The Starlight landed on the rim. Suddenly it burst apart and fell. Beams of light shot up from the land below and attacked the Observatory. Aquila, Apus Major, and Exeme held onto the roots of the tree.

Exeme began to feel her grip loosen. She lost her grip, "Teacher!" she yelled.

He reached up but couldn't grab her, "Exeme!"

She fell off the Observatory. As she fell, she watched as feathers began to fly, "_Are__those__my__wings?"_ she thought. She continued to fall. She turned her head slightly to see water. _**SPLASH!**_ Water exploded as she fell. _"What__happened?"_ she thought weakly.

THE END

{Until next chapter ;)}

Those of you who are thinking, "MY EYEBALLS ARE GOING TO FALL OUT FROM THIS EXTREMELY BORING STORY!" Yes, this chapter was pretty damn boring, but I assure it will get better. Especially when she gets her team together, who will have the same vocations I used in the game. They won't have the same and this is the reason: First time I played the game, I made it to Alltrades Abbey and Port Llaffan, got pissed off, deleted game. Second time: Got to Bloomingdale and Zere Rocks, got pissed off, deleted game. _Third__time,_ spent 40 hours, 28 min., 47 sec, defeated Barbarus, had gotten killed by Corvus I don't how times after he came out of that egg thingy, started this story, deleted game, _**then**_ got pissed off. To top that all off I lost my thing that had held my DS and six games (not the DS, my mom would have killed me), and now can't start fighting monsters. Thankfully, I have a vague memory of what happened and a map of Protectorate. The fighting monsters thing? I think I'll join World of Warcraft. And I swear my author's notes will never be this long again (maybe).


	2. Angel Falls

I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER! I know no one's actually reading this anymore do to my lack of writing. BUT I SHALL CONTINUE ON! AT A FASTER RATE! Side note: Exeme doesn't have the other Celestrians point-of-view on the mortals being inferior and what not. She actually 'kinda' nice and has an… interesting personality, which you will start to see come out in the next chapter. Enjoy.

"Angel Falls"

_Why? Why did it have to happen? _Exeme was standing in the spot across from the Guardian statue. _What happened? How am I supposed to protect people in this body?_ Her mind was filled with questions like these. She thought questions like these were pointless. She'd find out why it happened. She would find out what happened. And she would find a way to protect people. All without her wings or halo. She didn't know how she had lost them, but she'd find a way to get them back.

She heard people behind, "Isn't that the girl fell from the mountain?" If only they had known the truth.

Another one spoke, "Yeah all she does is stand there and stare off into space. I don't what Erinn so hyped up about."

"I bet it's her name. I mean it's the same as the village Guardian."

He scoffed, "Look at her clothes. She's probably just some no good wandering minstrel, who took on our Guardians name to get a free meal!" she heard him come closer, "Hey you! Enough with the day dreaming."

She turned around and smiled, "It's not 'you', it's Exeme." She said politely as possible.

Ivor scoffed, "Pff, whatever. Look 'Exeme', I'm onto you. You do anything suspicious and you'll be out of here."

Hugo laughed, "Yeah, Ivor doesn't like Erinn giving all her time to you instead of him."

Ivor turned to him, "Why did you say that! You-oh boy."

Erinn came walking up, "Why are you guys bothering Exeme?"

"Uh, um, we were just telling her the village rules." Ivor said composing himself, "We were just leaving." He walked off with Hugo following behind him.

Erinn walked over to Exeme, "I'm glad to see you out and about." She turned around, "Just come back to the house when you're done with your walk."

"Okay." Exeme said. True, even thought the earthquake that happened in the Protectorate, and the beam of light that had hit the Observatory had only happened two days ago, she felt fine. She decided to explore a little more. She came upon the mayor and his son Ivor's conversation.

"Don't you know how dangerous it is to go outside the village these days."

"I'm fine out there."

"Why can't you find a good trade. You should take a page out of Erinn's book. She's worked so hard to keep that inn open."

"Why are we talking about Erinn!" Ivor said offended, "When I find something I like I'll work real hard at it. Maybe."

The older man just shook his head. Exeme decided it was time to go back to Erinn's. She walked through the door, "Oh Exeme, you must be tired after your walk. I'm just finishing with dinner then you can rest."

Exeme nodded, "I'll set the table."

She awoke the next morning to Erinn, "Exeme, Ivor is here and says he has something urgent to talk to you about."

Exeme sat up, "Really now?"

"Oh just give him a few minutes, I can't very well turn him away."

Exeme nodded, walked downstairs, and was greeted by Ivor, "Exeme, I have something important to talk to you about. But not here, follow me outside." She followed him out and around to the back of the house, "As you may have heard the mountain pass that connects the town to the outside has been blocked-"

"And you want to go clear it up, right?"

"Yes, maybe it will get my dad off my back for a while. Where you come in is-"

"You need protection due to the monster escalation."

"Yeah, you minstrel types are good in a scrap, so will help."

"Sure why not."

"Well, okay then, lets go."

Hugo stopped them when they got to the entrance, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where in blazes do you think you going? And when did you two become best buds?"

Ivor spoke, "Oh just get out of the way. We're on a mission."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just come back to the village if you need rest."

Exeme had already past him, "Sure thing! We'll be back later." Ivor rushed to catch up to her.

They made it to the 'pass-before-the-pass', "That wasn't so hard. No monsters even noticed us." Ivor said.

"Yep, you didn't even nee-" She stopped when she saw a silver engine of a train parked in the middle of a group of trees.

Ivor waved his hand in her face, "Oi, what are you staring at." He looked in the direction she was, "Its just a fallen tree. Nothing fascinating. You know you can be properly weird sometimes. I'm going up ahead." With that he left.

Once she was out of her daze, she turned to follow him. Behind her she thought she heard someone say, "Did she just see the Starflight Express?"

She turned around, "Hello?" but there was no one there. She walked over to Ivor.

"I didn't know it was this big. Now how am I supposed to be the hero? Stupid landslide." He kicked it.

"Hello? Is someone over there? Say something." They were guards from Stornway.

"This is Ivor from Angel Falls. Surely you've heard of me."

Exeme shook her head, "I don't think they have."

You could hear the guards murmuring, "Someone from Angel Falls?" They got louder, "Please relay to your village that we will have the pass cleared in no time."

"Wow the king of Stornway must really rate Angel Falls. Well, we weren't needed here after all. Lets go."

Before they could leave the guards spoke up again, "Also an innkeeper named Patty went missing from Stornway on her way here. Sources say she may have went through the Hexagon.

Ivor shook his head, "Can't be true your sources must be wrong."

"We'll pass the word around anyway." Exeme added.

When they reached the village, Exeme tuned out the lecture the mayor was giving his son. And Ivor told him about Patty.

Well, until Erinn walked in, "Is it true about a woman named Patty going missing?"

Ivor looked shocked, "Erinn, what are you doing here?"

"I heard you whisked Exeme on some reckless adventure."

Exeme started to push her towards the door, "Okay, let's go, no reson for you to start a scene."

When they got home, Erinn told Exeme about Patty, "Uh, Exeme, I was wondering maybe you could-" she shook her head, "Nevermind its to risky."

Exeme knew what she was going to ask, "Hey, Erinn, do you mind if I go for a quick walk."

Erinn came out her daze, "No, go ahead."

Exeme walked to the church with a mindset of 'Ask the old lady about the Hexagon'. The old lady turned to her, "The Hexagon is what my grandfather used to use before they cut straight through the mountain." She waved her in a dismissive way, "But it's much to dangerous now. Why the roof will come down on your head."

Exeme was already past the gate on her way to the Hexagon. She thought if the first path led to the mountain pass, the other should lead to the Hexagon. And she was right. After going through the big stone doors she walked up the hall and saw the big stone wall that was blocking her way. She read the inscription, "Closed to due to enormous beast related fatalities. Just my luck." She drew her sword and tried to pry it open, but to no avail. As she was about to give up she turned around and noticed a ghostly man behind her. It started to walk away and she followed it, being the curious one she was.

He stopped behind a small statue, "On…the…back." He said before disappearing.

She searched and found a button on the back of the statue. She pushed it and heard something move in the other room. She ran and saw the stone had moved. She walked through the archway and saw two descending stairwells in opposite directions. She pushed back the curls that were in her face, "First a ghost with a sense of direction and now a game of eeny-meeny-miney-mo." She chose the one to the right and immediately drew her sword. She rolled her eyes, "Ghosts, games, _**and**_ monsters. This must be my lucky day."

After sticking closely to the walls and a few close encounters with some Bag-o-laughs, which by the way she wasn't laughing, she had finally found Patty. She walked up the stairs and Patty turned to her, "Boy, am I happy to see someone down here. Do you mind helping me with the rocks." She gestured to the ones that were on her legs, "Nothing broken, I'm just kinda… stuck." Just as Exeme was about to help the ground started to tremble and rocks fell from the ceiling, "Oh, great that thing is back."

Exeme looked at her with wide eyes, "What thing?" She turned and there was the thing she was hoping _not_ to face. She blew the curls out of her face, "Bloody brilliant." She drew her sword again and ducked as the monster ran straight for her. She slashed at it, then ran again, but this time it clipped her and made her trip and fall on her face. She slashed at it again. After a few turns she developed a pattern: She could take three hits from it then heal the big wounds real fast while dodging. It sent rubble raining down from the ceiling and clipped her on the head. Now disorientated she swung one final time and defeated it.

She fell to her knees as Patty walked up to her, "While you were distracting that thing I managed to wiggle out."

"Distraction? I think I was bait."

"Are you okay?"

Exeme nodded, "Yeah I'll be alright."

"Where'd you come from?"

"Angel-"

"Oh that reminds I have business in Angel Falls. Let's get out of here." As soon as they got outside Patty started running, "I'll see you there." Exeme waved her off, then chuckled as she thanked the Almighty for chimera wings.

When she got back, she found Patty and Erinn at the inn. Patty was talking, "Yep, Edwinn designed this place all right. It small but your guests must feel at home here. "

Erinn seemed confused, "I'm sorry. Who are- Oh, you must be Patty."

"Glad to see you remember me after all these years, you were so little. So where's the Inncredible Inntertainer hiding anyway?"

"I'm sorry but he's…past on."

"Passed on?" They took their conversation into another room after Erinn had explained all the details to Patty… and after Patty had asked Erinn to come help at her inn, seeing as that's was what she wanted to talk to Edwinn about, "I still can't see why old Edwinn would ship out to a backwater town like this." Erinn seemed a little peeved by that comment but let it slide, "So are you coming back with me or not."

"I'm sorry but I can't, so don't ask me anymore." And with that she ran out of the room, almost knocking Exeme down.

Patty shook her head, "All that talent going to waste." She looked at Exeme, "What was your name again."

"Exeme."

"Well, Exeme, your friends with Erinn right?" Exeme nodded, "How about you give a little…push in the right direction."

Exeme blew the hair out of her face, "I'm not making promises." She walked outside and was almost to Erinn's door, but the same ghostly man was standing in front of it.

She walked up and startled him. He turned around, "You g-gave me a fright! D-Don't do that again, will you?"

She shrugged, "Possibly."

Then it dawned on him, "Wait a minute! You can see me? But I'm dead!"

"And I don't look good in yellow. These are all facts." Then rolled her eyes at her stupid joke.

"I had a feeling that you saw me back at the Hexagon too. That's quite a strange talent you've got there."

"I wouldn't call it a talent."

"Sorry, I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Erinn's father, Edwinn. I fell ill two years ago and died suddenly. But as you can see, I still haven't managed to leave this mortal world entirely. And you are?"

She tilted her head to the side, "Exeme."

"Ah, Exeme…? …Really? R-Really? B-But… Exeme… Isn't that…? Aren't you the village Guardian?"

Before Exeme could answer, a girlish voice rang out, "Hey! Hang on a minute!" A small orb of pink light flew and hit Exeme. It turned out to be a faery, "Ouch! Oi! Watch where you're flapping standing! I may be skinny as a rake, but I still need a bit of room for maneuvers!" Again Exeme was interrupted, "Never mind, I forgive you. Now, old man! What was that rubbish you were just sprouting?"

"I, er… I'm not sure what you mean."

"You were on about Celestrians, right? I wondered the same thing at first, but this mess of a minstrel hardly foots the bill." Exeme had to keep her temper in check, or the faery was gonna go flying, "I don't see a halo, do you? And I don't see any wings either. Bit odd for a Celestrian, wouldn't you say?"

Edwinn thought about it, "I suppose you're right. Though, while we're on the subject of odd, who and what are you."

Exeme crossed her arms over her chest, "Yes, please enlighten us."

"Ha! Wouldn't you like to know?… Yes, I suppose you would. Then I'd better introduce myself. Wait for it…" She struck a pose, "I am the supreme, stupendous, Stella, stunning skipper of the sky roaring Starflight Express! Ta daa!"

"Er, I…see." Edwinn said.

Stella turned to Exeme, "Right then, your turn. Time to fly your true colors and tell us who you really are. You look like a regular mortal to me, so how come you can see the Starflight Express and ghosts like this old bloke?"

Exeme pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath, then explained what happened. Stella didn't seem to believe her, "Sounds like a bit of a tall yarn, if you ask me."

"I didn't ask you?" Exeme said.

"If you lost your wings and halo, how is it you can still see ghosts and the like. Bit neither here nor there, isn't it?" Exeme felt a _**huge**_ headache coming on, "I know! If you're a Celestrian, then prove it. Send someone's spirit up to the heavens. You've got nothing to lose, and this old bloke here just happens to be in need of a shove in the righteous direction."

"Wait! Are you talking about me? I'm not exactly happy as I am, but…"

Stella interrupted him, "Let me guess, you're only a ghost because you've got some unfinished business to put to sleep, right?" she turned to Exeme, "Alright then, help this spook here tie up his loose ends and then send him on his way. Then I'll believe that you're a Celestrian, and I might even give a lift back to the Observatory on the old Starflight Express. Can't say fairier than that right? So I'll tag along with you for a while until the job's done." She disappeared into an orb and onto Exeme.

"Well this ought to be interesting." She sighed.

Edwinn turned to her, "Well this is all rather strange-"

"It's about to get stranger."

"Still, I appreciate your willingness to help." Exeme nodded and he continued, "Hmm… I wonder what unfinished business is stopping me from going up to the heavens."

"Think really hard."

"I don't suppose…," he wondered out loud, "I wonder if it's to do with that thing I buried behind the inn."

"What th- Nevermind I'll find out." She started to walk where he pointed her to. There seemed to be something solid buried under the bush. She started to dig and muttered, "How far down could this possibly be?" She stuck her hand in the hole and pulled out a gold trophy, "'Awarded to Edwinn by HRH King Schott for Inncredible achievements in Inntertaining'. Usually a play on words is funny, this one not so much she said to herself. So, it's an Inny?"

She walked back over to Edwinn, "That's it! That's my Inny! Goodness me, that takes me back a bit. Thee truth is, I hid it away when I came back to Angel Falls. I didn't want Erinn to know. And I didn't want to spend my whole time being reminded about Stornway…" His voice drifted off.

"Why?" Exeme asked.

"Erinn was very weak as a child. I came back to live in Angel Falls for her sake. It was what my late wife wanted-what Erinn's mother wanted. So I brought the poor little thing here just after her mother passed away, and I hid the trophy where no one could find it."

"Yeah, 3 feet of mud usually keeps people away." Exeme joked to herself.

"I wonder how she'll react when she sees it."

Exeme shrugged, "I guess we'll see." She said as she walked inside.

She walked into Erinn's room, "What's up Exeme?" Exeme took out the trophy, "What's that trophy you've got there?" Exeme handed it to her, "An award for being an Inncredible Inntertainer… from the King of Stornway? To my father…?" She thought for a moment, "I don't believe it! Patty's story was all true!" Her excitement died down, "I don't understand, though. Why would Dad have given up all that to come here to sleepy old Angel Falls? What in the world was he thinking of?"

"I may be able to shed a little light on that."

The girls turned around, "Grandpa?" Erinn said.

"Edwinn made me promise not to say anything, so I've kept it secret all these years, but I don't see that it matters now. Dear Erinn… You must remember how sickly you were as a child. Your poor mother was the same. In the normal course of things, you would have become sicker and sicker as you got older. Eventually, you would have died. We lost your mother at a young age to the same fate."

"But I'm perfectly healthy. I hardly even remember being sick any more."

"That's because you were brought up on the water from the falls here in the village. Angel Falls' water is famous for making people healthy and curing their ills."

"So… What you're saying is Dad gave up his inn in Stornway and came back here for my sake?"

"That's right. Saving his daughter was far more important to him than his own ambitions."

"But that's terrible! I stood in the way of my father and his dreams."

"He knew what he was doing when he came here. He didn't want you to know but you're mature enough now to be told the truth."

Erinn stood for a moment before speaking, "You know, I always wondered why he sometimes had that faraway look on his face. Now I know… He did all that for me…"

Exeme, who had been quiet this entire time, folded her arms over her chest, "So have you made your decision?"

Erinn looked at her, "Um, Exeme. It looks like I'm going to be leaving for Stornway. I don't know if I can be of any help to Patty, but I have to at least give it a try!" She put the trophy away and walked out of the room.

Exeme walked out of the room and saw Edwinn. Before she could say anything Stella popped out, "You there grandad?"

"I'm here. I heard everything. I can't believe Erinn is going to follow my ambition in my place. She really has grown up. Now I have no regrets. I know that she'll succeed. She doesn't need me watching over her shoulder." He started to glow and float up, "It looks like I'm ready to leave. Thank you so much, my honoured Guardian." She nodded as he disappeared.

"He's gone!" Stella exclaimed. She turned to Exeme, "You did it! So you are a Celestrian after all."

Exeme rolled her eyes, "I thought we went through this already?"

"Well, a promise is a promise. I'll give you a lift back to the Observatory like we agreed, so say thanks to your lucky stars."

"I'll be sure to do that once you're not in the vicinity of my person."

Stella looked over to where Edwinn was, then to Exeme, and back again. She flew over to it, "Hang on to your horses a minute-shouldn't you be picking up that benevolessence?" She poked it then flew back to Exeme, "You can't flapping see it, can you? Don't tell me you can't see benevolessence any more!"

Exeme looked over to the spot and sighed, "Yeah, I'm a little blind on this one."

Stella crossed her arms, "Now I'm starting to wonder again… Are you really a Celestrian or are you pulling my chain?"

"For the love of the Almighty! I thought I'd explained everything!"

Stella shook her head.

Some days later, the landslide s cleared and the mountain pass is opened again. The day arrived when Erinn was setting off to Stornway. Exeme, Erinn, Patty, and Erinn's grandfather were outside Erinn's house.

"I'll miss you, Grandpa. You take of yourself, won't you?" Erinn said.

"You too. It'll be hard work making a living in a new town. Make sure you don't go working yourself sick." He told her.

Patty took a step forward, "I know you're worried about your little girl, but I'm gonna be around to help her out, so you just relax, okay?"

"That's good to know, Patty. You've helped to set an old man's mind at ease."

Erinn looked at Ivor, who was around the house, "Ivor! Can I have a word?"

He got defensive, "What do you want to talk to me for? You're leaving, so you obviously don't care."

Erinn tilted her head, "I was wondering if you might take over the inn here for me. I don't have the heart to close it down, you see. You'll do it, won't you? I know I can count on you!"

Ivor didn't even think, "I suppose I can do it, but only to get Dad off my back with his nagging about me finding a job. I'm not doing it for you!"

_"Sure he's not", _Exeme thought to herself.

He continued, "Anyway, I'll bet I'll be so good at innkeeping that I'll soon trump your place over in Stornway!"

"And I wish you luck wish you luck with it. Not that I'll let you get the better of me, of course!"

"Oh yeah? Sounds like we've got a competition on our hands!"

Erinn nodded and turned to Exeme, "Exeme, I can't thank you enough for what you've done. It's amazing how you managed to find Dad's hidden trophy like that. You really are a mystery. I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out to be our Guardian after all…" She shook her head, "Ha ha! Listen to me and my wild imagination!"

"Not that wild…" Exeme mumbled to herself.

"Huh? I suppose you'll be heading off to your hometown now, will you? If your journey brings you through Stornway, make sure you come and stay at my new inn, won't you?"

Exeme nodded, "Of course."

"I'd better get going, then. Goodbye, everyone. And thank you all for everything!" Everyone waved as Erinn and Patty left.

A few moments later when Exeme was alone, Stella came out, "Time for us to make some tracks too. You do remember where the Starflight Express is, presumably?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact."

"No need to be so flapping pleased with yourself! I hardly expected you to forget. Come on, let's head for the pass!"

Exeme started walking, planning to celebrate once she was faaaaarrr away from this 'flapping' fairy.

AN: Came to a conclusion after writing this. I am NOT going to write down every freaking word this people say. I believe most of you who are actually reading must have played this game at least once. It takes up too many pages and I know most of you probably don't enjoy reading so many pages unless you're like me and this is what you look forward to every week. Next chapter is when I introduce her 'party' members. I like weird names and so far have only two: Angesar (warrior) and Tearza (thief). Anyone who is reading this and would like to be extremely nice and supply me with a third name for a martial artist, I WOULD BE FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT (partially). I swear that the next chapter will not take me months, two weeks at the most! Thanks to all who are reading and enjoying this!


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